MovE (Musea Oost-Vlaanderen in Evolutie/Museums of East Flanders in Evolution) is the result of a close cooperation between the Service of museum consultants (Museumconsulentschap) and the IT department of the Province of East Flanders (POV). It is one of the e-government initiatives of POV and started in 2003.

Actually, more than 40 museums participate in the MovE project, ranging from professional institutions to small museums (often run by volunteers). The presented collections vary from natural history objects and art-historical objects to design, folk art and contemporary art.

The basic objectives of MovE:

1. To registrate the collections of the museums in East Flanders in a central data base, and publish these objects on the internet. In August 2007 the MovE data base contains 210 000 objects, almost 40 000 of which are published on the MovE website (www.museuminzicht.be). The MovE data base is the largest virtual catalogue of museum objects in Flanders and is daily consulted by numerous visitors.

the development and maintenance of registration tools which are freely accessible on the MovE website.

The ‘Invulboek. Handleiding bij digitale collectie- en objectregistratie’ is a manual for object and collection registration, based on international standards (Spectrum MDA, CCO …).

The Am-MovE thesaurus is a hierarchic list of controlled Dutch terms (based on the English AAT, Getty Institute US), made in cooperation with Stedelijke Musea Antwerpen (Municipal Museums Antwerp) and numerous experts in the field.

the organisation of courses in object registration using Adlib software, and workshops to improve registration practices.

assisting and supporting object registration, taking into account the specific needs and particular nature of the participating museums.

3. To assure the high-quality presentation of the museum collections and activities (events, expositions): information accessibility and presentation on the internet in an educational and inspiring way. The up-to-date calendar of museum activities is presented in collaboration with the CDB (CultuurDataBank of the Flemish Community). The collections are accessible onto object item level.

4. To develop on a structural level functional collaboration between the museums in East-Flanders. This collaboration may increase the number of exhibition loans, facilitate scientific research and increase the number of educational projects aimed at schools and other targets groups.

MovE makes the museums' collections easily accessible, thereby providing the public with better opportunities to explore, visit and appreciate the cultural heritage.